History: K - 12
TruthQuest History Guides
Author: Michelle Miller
Publisher: ThinkWrite, LLC
For more information or to order: www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com (We're excited to offer these wonderful guides in our catalog!)

One look at TruthQuest History and you’ll never see the study of history the same again! Homeschool mom and author, Michelle Miller has challenged both the parent and student(s) to view history in a brand new way -- not just the story of mankind, but the story of the One who made mankind! Her literature-based guides through history are deep and meaty, yet surprisingly easy to understand and to use.  

For this review, I was sent the Guide for Ancient Rome and American History for Young Students Volume 3 (1865 - 2000). These are just two of the twelve guides available -- enough to give a thorough study of American and World History for your child from Kindergarten through graduation! First, I’d like to point out how all of these guides are organized. Each guide has an introductory Notes for Mom section that briefly explains how to use this style of teaching. Then, the main text of the guide uses embolden type to highlight the commentary which will bring to life the most important God-revealing principles of history, human worth, government, etc. This commentary is part of what makes TruthQuest History unique from other literature-based curriculums. For those of us who didn’t grow up with a Biblical worldview, but who desparately want our children to have one, Michelle gets us thinking.  She teaches our children AND us as we discuss the many points she so clearly brings out. The main section of each guide also includes an extensive reading list specific for each topic and though-provoking ThinkWrite exercises strategically placed through the volumes provide a place for our children to process what they’ve been learning and put their thoughts on paper. The final section of the book is the appendix, which provides a summary of the main points as they relate to the ThinkWrite assignments -- a very helpful tool for mom.

On the surface these guides may seem to be nothing more than a glorified reading list - but they are so much more! The Ancient Rome Guide has much more challenging ThinkWrite aassignments - lending it best suited for upper elementary through high school. If you have children in multiple grades, you can definitely use this guide with both with younger students using more discussion of the ideas and forgoing or adjusting the writing assignments.

The American History for Young Students Volumes 1 - 3 use fewer and easier ThinkWrite assigments, less commentary and more extensive book lists. I have used Volume 3 with my children and can tell you that they "live" the books we read through their playing! I elected to use a timeline notebook and some outline maps found online to supplement our study. The guide is so easy to use, I read the commentary aloud then we spend time reading from some of the wonderful books Michelle recommends or others that I found at the library. No textbooks, tests or tears!

What about lesson plans? There are none because the author feels that there is "no one-size-fits-all-plan for God’s children. He has made each one uniquely, and has a unique plan for their lives….". She doesn’t know what that plan is for your family, so what right does she have to schedule your day?! Of course, she does recommend that you have a general plan of what you want to cover. I know there are days when we do very little reading because of time constraints and other days when the book is so good we can’t put it down, so we let other things "slide" so we can keep reading as long as mom’s voice holds out. In her Notes for Mom section, Michelle encourages you to be assertive - feeling free to skip topics, add activities or assignments - whatever best fits YOUR family and educational philosphy. One word of caution, as I’ve mentioned, these guides have LOTS of books listed to give you as many choices as possible. Guard against the temptation to purchase every book listed or feeling like you can’t study a topic if your library doesn’t have the books recommended! Pick and choose the books you will use and leave the rest -- without any guilt!

Overall, TruthQuest History has provided just what many lovers of literature have been looking for -- lists of great books and how to link them, in order, to various periods of history. All of this with the added benefit of commentary and assignments from a Biblical worldview that challenge our kids to see history in a whole new light.

Making the Grade: A+
Cost: $19.95 - $24.95 (depending on the title)
Value for Your Homeschool Dollar: 10